Fate of the Achaean Wall and Advice of Polydamas — Homer, Iliad Book 12 (lines 1–68), Greek & English

ὣς ὃ μὲν ἐν κλισίῃσι Μενοιτίου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς

Thus he, the brave son of Menoetius, in the huts

ἰᾶτʼ Εὐρύπυλον βεβλημένον· οἳ δὲ μάχοντο

was healing wounded Eurypylus; but they were fighting,

Ἀργεῖοι καὶ Τρῶες ὁμιλαδόν· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε

the Argives and Trojans in close throng; nor indeed was

τάφρος ἔτι σχήσειν Δαναῶν καὶ τεῖχος ὕπερθεν

the ditch longer destined to hold them back, nor the wide wall above,

εὐρύ, τὸ ποιήσαντο νεῶν ὕπερ, ἀμφὶ δὲ τάφρον

the wide one which they had built for the ships, and around the ditch

ἤλασαν· οὐδὲ θεοῖσι δόσαν κλειτὰς ἑκατόμβας·

they had driven it; nor did they give to the gods glorious hecatombs,

ὄφρά σφιν νῆάς τε θοὰς καὶ ληΐδα πολλὴν

so that it might keep within and protect their swift ships and much booty;

ἐντὸς ἔχον ῥύοιτο· θεῶν δʼ ἀέκητι τέτυκτο

but it was built against the will of the immortal gods;

ἀθανάτων· τὸ καὶ οὔ τι πολὺν χρόνον ἔμπεδον ἦεν.

therefore it remained steadfast for no long time.

ὄφρα μὲν Ἕκτωρ ζωὸς ἔην καὶ μήνιʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς

As long as Hector was alive, and Achilles cherished his wrath,

καὶ Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος ἀπόρθητος πόλις ἔπλεν,

and the city of king Priam remained unsacked,

τόφρα δὲ καὶ μέγα τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν ἔμπεδον ἦεν.

so long also the great wall of the Achaeans stood firm.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μὲν Τρώων θάνον ὅσσοι ἄριστοι,

But when all the bravest of the Trojans had died,

πολλοὶ δʼ Ἀργείων οἳ μὲν δάμεν, οἳ δὲ λίποντο,

and many of the Argives were vanquished, while some were left,

πέρθετο δὲ Πριάμοιο πόλις δεκάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ,

and the city of Priam was sacked in the tenth year,

Ἀργεῖοι δʼ ἐν νηυσὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἔβησαν,

and the Argives went in their ships to their beloved native land,

δὴ τότε μητιόωντο Ποσειδάων καὶ Ἀπόλλων

then indeed Poseidon and Apollo took counsel

τεῖχος ἀμαλδῦναι ποταμῶν μένος εἰσαγαγόντες.

to sweep away the wall, bringing against it the strength of all the rivers

ὅσσοι ἀπʼ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων ἅλα δὲ προρέουσι,

that flow from the Idaean mountains into the sea:

Ῥῆσός θʼ Ἑπτάπορός τε Κάρησός τε Ῥοδίος τε

Rhesus and Heptaporus and Caresus and Rhodius,

Γρήνικός τε καὶ Αἴσηπος δῖός τε Σκάμανδρος

Grenicus and Aesepus, and divine Scamander,

καὶ Σιμόεις, ὅθι πολλὰ βοάγρια καὶ τρυφάλειαι

and Simois, where many ox-hide shields and helmets

κάππεσον ἐν κονίῃσι καὶ ἡμιθέων γένος ἀνδρῶν·

fell in the dust, and the race of demigods;

τῶν πάντων ὁμόσε στόματʼ ἔτραπε Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων,

of all these Phoebus Apollo turned the mouths together,

ἐννῆμαρ δʼ ἐς τεῖχος ἵει ῥόον· ὗε δʼ ἄρα Ζεὺς

and for nine days he directed their flood against the wall; and Zeus rained

συνεχές, ὄφρά κε θᾶσσον ἁλίπλοα τείχεα θείη.

continuously, so that he might the sooner lay the wall under the sea.

αὐτὸς δʼ ἐννοσίγαιος ἔχων χείρεσσι τρίαιναν

And the Earth-shaker himself, holding the trident in his hands,

ἡγεῖτʼ, ἐκ δʼ ἄρα πάντα θεμείλια κύμασι πέμπε

led the way, and sent into the waves all the foundations

φιτρῶν καὶ λάων, τὰ θέσαν μογέοντες Ἀχαιοί,

of logs and stones, which the Achaeans had laid with toil,

λεῖα δʼ ἐποίησεν παρʼ ἀγάρροον Ἑλλήσποντον,

and made all smooth along the strong-flowing Hellespont,

αὖτις δʼ ἠϊόνα μεγάλην ψαμάθοισι κάλυψε

and again covered the great beach with sand,

τεῖχος ἀμαλδύνας· ποταμοὺς δʼ ἔτρεψε νέεσθαι

having swept away the wall; and the rivers he turned to flow

κὰρ ῥόον, ᾗ περ πρόσθεν ἵεν καλλίρροον ὕδωρ.

in their courses, where before they poured their fair-flowing water.

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ὄπισθε Ποσειδάων καὶ Ἀπόλλων

Thus indeed were Poseidon and Apollo destined to do in aftertime;

θησέμεναι·¹ τότε δʼ ἀμφὶ μάχη ἐνοπή τε δεδήει

but then around the well-built wall battle and clamor were burning,

τεῖχος ἐΰδμητον, κανάχιζε δὲ δούρατα πύργων

and the logs of the towers rattled as they were struck

βαλλόμενʼ· Ἀργεῖοι δὲ Διὸς μάστιγι δαμέντες

with missiles; and the Argives, subdued by the whip of Zeus,

νηυσὶν ἔπι γλαφυρῇσιν ἐελμένοι ἰσχανόωντο

were penned in by their hollow ships and held back,

Ἕκτορα δειδιότες, κρατερὸν μήστωρα φόβοιο·

fearing Hector, the mighty author of dread;

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ὡς τὸ πρόσθεν ἐμάρνατο ἶσος ἀέλλῃ·

but he fought as before, like a whirlwind.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν² ἔν τε κύνεσσι καὶ ἀνδράσι θηρευτῇσι

And as when, among dogs and huntsmen,

κάπριος ἠὲ λέων στρέφεται σθένεϊ βλεμεαίνων·

a wild boar or a lion turns about, glaring in his strength;

οἳ δέ τε πυργηδὸν σφέας αὐτοὺς ἀρτύναντες

and they, drawing themselves up in a wall-like line,

ἀντίον ἵστανται καὶ ἀκοντίζουσι θαμειὰς

stand against him and hurl frequent javelins

αἰχμὰς ἐκ χειρῶν· τοῦ δʼ οὔ ποτε κυδάλιμον κῆρ

from their hands; but his glorious heart never

ταρβεῖ οὐδὲ φοβεῖται, ἀγηνορίη δέ μιν ἔκτα·

fears nor is dismayed, and his bravery is his death;

ταρφέα τε στρέφεται στίχας ἀνδρῶν πειρητίζων·

and repeatedly he turns about, testing the ranks of men,

ὅππῃ τʼ ἰθύσῃ τῇ εἴκουσι στίχες ἀνδρῶν·

and wherever he charges, there the ranks of men give way—

ὣς Ἕκτωρ ἀνʼ ὅμιλον ἰὼν ἐλλίσσεθʼ ἑταίρους

so Hector went through the throng and entreated his comrades,

τάφρον ἐποτρύνων διαβαινέμεν· οὐδέ οἱ ἵπποι

urging them to cross the ditch. But his swift-footed horses

τόλμων ὠκύποδες, μάλα δὲ χρεμέτιζον ἐπʼ ἄκρῳ

dared not do so, but neighed loudly, standing on the very edge

χείλει ἐφεσταότες· ἀπὸ γὰρ δειδίσσετο τάφρος

of the lip; for the wide ditch frightened them,

εὐρεῖʼ, οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὑπερθορέειν σχεδὸν οὔτε περῆσαι

being neither easy to leap across from close at hand, nor to traverse;

ῥηϊδίη· κρημνοὶ γὰρ ἐπηρεφέες περὶ πᾶσαν

for overhanging cliffs stood all around on both sides,

ἕστασαν ἀμφοτέρωθεν, ὕπερθεν δὲ σκολόπεσσιν

and from above it was set with sharp palisades,

ὀξέσιν ἠρήρει, τοὺς ἵστασαν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

which the sons of the Achaeans had set close

πυκνοὺς καὶ μεγάλους δηΐων ἀνδρῶν ἀλεωρήν.

and great, as a defense against hostile men.

ἔνθʼ οὔ κεν ῥέα ἵππος ἐΰτροχον ἅρμα τιταίνων

There not easily could a horse, pulling a well-wheeled chariot,

ἐσβαίη, πεζοὶ δὲ μενοίνεον εἰ τελέουσι.

enter, but the infantry eagerly minded if they might accomplish it.

δὴ τότε Πουλυδάμας θρασὺν Ἕκτορα εἶπε παραστάς·

Then indeed Polydamas came near and spoke to bold Hector:

Ἕκτορ τʼ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι Τρώων ἀγοὶ ἠδʼ ἐπικούρων

”Hector and you other leaders of the Trojans and allies,

ἀφραδέως διὰ τάφρον ἐλαύνομεν ὠκέας ἵππους·

foolishly do we drive our swift horses through the ditch;

ἣ δὲ μάλʼ ἀργαλέη περάαν· σκόλοπες γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ

but it is very hard to cross; for in it

ὀξέες ἑστᾶσιν, ποτὶ δʼ αὐτοὺς τεῖχος Ἀχαιῶν,

sharp palisades stand, and against them is the wall of the Achaeans,

ἔνθʼ οὔ πως ἔστιν καταβήμεναι οὐδὲ μάχεσθαι

where there is no way for horsemen to dismount and fight;

ἱππεῦσι· στεῖνος γάρ, ὅθι τρώσεσθαι ὀΐω.

for it is a narrow space, where I think we shall be wounded.

εἰ μὲν γὰρ³ τοὺς πάγχυ κακὰ φρονέων ἀλαπάζει

For if indeed high-thundering Zeus, with hostile intent,

Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης, Τρώεσσι δὲ ἵετʼ ἀρήγειν,

is utterly destroying them, and is eager to help the Trojans,”

Syntax notes3 items

12.34ἔμελλον ... θησέμεναι
The verb ἔμελλον (imperfect) followed by the infinitive θησέμεναι (here standing for a future action) expressing future destiny. This construction is used by the narrator for a prolepsis (flash-forward) to describe the future destruction of the wall by Poseidon and Apollo after the war.
12.41ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν
A conventional formula introducing a Homeric simile. Used with the particle αν to govern the subjunctive mood (where στρέφεται is either subjunctive or assimilated to the present indicative), presenting a general, vivid hypothetical situation illustrative of the scene.
12.67εἰ μὲν γάρ
The protasis of a conditional sentence in Polydamas' speech. The corresponding apodosis (consequence) is left unexpressed by the speaker (aposiopesis) to be logically supplied by the listener or the following context, implying: 'If high-thundering Zeus indeed wishes to destroy them (it would be well, but as it is...)'.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-23)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.1-12.68